Lack of worldwide flights roadblock for Odisha tourism

By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Going by the present vacationer bookings, home tourism appears to have gotten again on its ft post-Covid however that has not been the case with worldwide arrivals in Odisha but. Stakeholders attribute this to lack of direct worldwide flights to Bhubaneswar.

The state has seen a meagre variety of worldwide vacationer footfalls this yr to this point and the variety of such guests was simply 2,269 final yr towards 37.4 lakh home arrivals, as per a report of Ministry of Tourism. Interestingly, the international vacationer footfalls had been higher in 2020 when 10,206 travellers from different international locations arrived in Odisha regardless of the lockdowns at many intervals of the yr. That yr, 46.2 lakh home vacationers had visited the state.

Pre-Covid, 1.15 lakh international vacationers arrived within the state and the quantity was 1 crore for the home tourism sector in 2019. During this era, Odisha used to get the vast majority of worldwide travellers (choosing organised excursions) from Western Europe and Malaysia.

“Of the total bookings for organised tours between October this year and March-end next year, foreign arrivals in Odisha are only 10 per cent. Blame it on the lack of direct international flights. Prior to Covid, we at least had direct flights to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia,” mentioned chairman of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Odisha chapter, Gagan Sarangi. 

He added that many of the international vacationers coming to the state go for eco-tourism (neighborhood based mostly), tradition, rural and ethnic tourism. The journey and hospitality sectors have their hopes pinned on the opportunity of direct flights to Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok (these international locations have been massive air hubs) from Bhubaneswar. Two months again, the state authorities had invited a request for citation (RFQ) for choice of airways to have a direct flight between Bhubaneswar and worldwide locations, the above-mentioned three international locations being the primary within the line.

Only one airline – Indigo – has evinced curiosity in working direct flights from Bhubaneswar to the three international locations, with three flights per week together with the weekends. Officials within the Transport division mentioned Indigo’s proposal has been despatched to the state authorities for consideration. “For any international flight service, there is a need for continuity. We are hoping that if one airline begins its direct flights from Bhubaneswar to different countries and is provided all the facilities to continue the service, other airlines will follow,” mentioned principal secretary of the division Usha Padhee.

In the Odisha Travel Bazaar that was organised earlier this yr by FICCI, international tour operators of Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and different South Asian international locations had evinced curiosity in tourism partnership with the state, offered there may be direct flight connectivity.

Chairman of Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha and IATO (jap area) JK Mohanty mentioned worldwide tourism could be revived if there may be direct air connectivity to Thailand, Dubai, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Nepal moreover, flights between Bhubaneswar and Bodh Gaya. “Because, a lot of international tourists come to Bodh Gaya through Kolkata, Delhi or Mumbai for Buddhist tourism. HRAO also suggests that international flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata or Chennai can be diverted to Bhubaneswar for lessening the congestion,” he mentioned.

BHUBANESWAR: Going by the present vacationer bookings, home tourism appears to have gotten again on its ft post-Covid however that has not been the case with worldwide arrivals in Odisha but. Stakeholders attribute this to lack of direct worldwide flights to Bhubaneswar.

The state has seen a meagre variety of worldwide vacationer footfalls this yr to this point and the variety of such guests was simply 2,269 final yr towards 37.4 lakh home arrivals, as per a report of Ministry of Tourism. Interestingly, the international vacationer footfalls had been higher in 2020 when 10,206 travellers from different international locations arrived in Odisha regardless of the lockdowns at many intervals of the yr. That yr, 46.2 lakh home vacationers had visited the state.

Pre-Covid, 1.15 lakh international vacationers arrived within the state and the quantity was 1 crore for the home tourism sector in 2019. During this era, Odisha used to get the vast majority of worldwide travellers (choosing organised excursions) from Western Europe and Malaysia.

“Of the total bookings for organised tours between October this year and March-end next year, foreign arrivals in Odisha are only 10 per cent. Blame it on the lack of direct international flights. Prior to Covid, we at least had direct flights to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia,” mentioned chairman of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Odisha chapter, Gagan Sarangi. 

He added that many of the international vacationers coming to the state go for eco-tourism (neighborhood based mostly), tradition, rural and ethnic tourism. The journey and hospitality sectors have their hopes pinned on the opportunity of direct flights to Dubai, Singapore and Bangkok (these international locations have been massive air hubs) from Bhubaneswar. Two months again, the state authorities had invited a request for citation (RFQ) for choice of airways to have a direct flight between Bhubaneswar and worldwide locations, the above-mentioned three international locations being the primary within the line.

Only one airline – Indigo – has evinced curiosity in working direct flights from Bhubaneswar to the three international locations, with three flights per week together with the weekends. Officials within the Transport division mentioned Indigo’s proposal has been despatched to the state authorities for consideration. “For any international flight service, there is a need for continuity. We are hoping that if one airline begins its direct flights from Bhubaneswar to different countries and is provided all the facilities to continue the service, other airlines will follow,” mentioned principal secretary of the division Usha Padhee.

In the Odisha Travel Bazaar that was organised earlier this yr by FICCI, international tour operators of Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and different South Asian international locations had evinced curiosity in tourism partnership with the state, offered there may be direct flight connectivity.

Chairman of Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha and IATO (jap area) JK Mohanty mentioned worldwide tourism could be revived if there may be direct air connectivity to Thailand, Dubai, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Nepal moreover, flights between Bhubaneswar and Bodh Gaya. “Because, a lot of international tourists come to Bodh Gaya through Kolkata, Delhi or Mumbai for Buddhist tourism. HRAO also suggests that international flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata or Chennai can be diverted to Bhubaneswar for lessening the congestion,” he mentioned.